Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-09-02

Unless one is wealthy there is no good
in being a charming fellow. Romance
is the privilege of the rich, not the pro-
fession OF the unemployed. The poor
should be practical and prosac. 1t is
better to have permanent income than
to be fascinating. These are the great
truths of modern life which Hughie
Erskine never realized. Poor Hughic d!
Intellectually, we must admit, he was
not of much Importance. He never said
either brilliant or ill-natured thing in
his life. But then he was wonderfully
good looking, with his crisp brown hair,
his clear-cuU profile, and his gray eyes.
He was as popular with men as he was
with women, and he had every accom-
plishment except that OF making money.
His father had bequeathed him his cav
airy sword and "History of the PENN
sula War" in fifteen volumes. Hughie
hung the first over his looking-glass,
put the second on shelf between Rut'S
Guide and Bailey's Magazine, anG lived
OH two hundred year that an old aunt
allowed him. He had tried everything.
lie had gone Oh the Stock Exchange for
six months; but what was butterfly
to do among bulls and bears! He had
been a tea merchant for little longer,
but had soon tired of PekOe and Sou
chong. Then he had tried selling dried
sherry. That did not answer. Ulti-
mately lie became nothing. a delightful,
Intellectual young man with perfect
profile ard no profession.
TO make matters worse, he was in
love. The girl he loved was Laura Mer-
ton, the daughter of retired colonel
who had lost his temper and his Giges-
ton in India, and had never found
either of them again Laura adored him,
and he was ready to kiss her shoestrings.
They were the handsomest couple in
London, and had not a penny piece be-
tween them. The Colonel was very
fond of Hughie, but would not hear of
any engagement.
Come TO me, my boy, when you have
got 10000 Of your own, and we will
see about it, he used to say; and llughie
looked very glum on those days, and
had to go Laura for consolation.
One morning, as he was on his way
TO Holland Park, where the Mertons
lived, he dropped in to see great friend
of his, Alan Trevor. Trevor was
painter. Indeed, few people escaped
that nowadays. But he was also an ar
tist, and artists are rare. Personally he
was strange, rough fellow, with
freckled face and red hair. However,
when he took up the brush he was a
real master, aid his pictures were eager
ly sought after. He had been very much
attracted by Hughie, at first, it must be
acknowledged, entirely on account of
his good looks. "rhe only people
painter should know" he used to say are
people who are better and beautiful,
people who are an artistic pleasure TO
look at and al intellectual repose to talk
to. Dandies and darlings rule the
world! However, after lie got to know
Hughie better, he liked him quite as
much for his bright, buoyant spirits and
his generous, reckless nature, and had
given him the permanent entree to his
studio.
When Hughie came in he found Trevor
putting the finishing touches to won
derful life-size picture of Il beggar man.
The beggar himself was standing on
raised platform in corner Of the studio.
He was wizened old man, with face
like wrinkled parchment, and most
piteous expression. Over his shoulders
was flung a coarse brown cloak, all tears
and taiters; his thick boots were patched
and cobbled, and with one hand he
leaned on rough stick, while with the
other he held out his battered hat for
aims.
"What an amazing model !" whispered
Hughie, as he shook hands with his
friend.
san amazing model z" shouted Trevor
at the top of his voice; 81 should think
so. Such beggars- as he are not TO be
met with every day. Ny stars. what
an etching Rembrandt would have made
of bimr'
"Poor old chap" said Hughie, 'how
miserable he looks But l suppose, TO
you painters, his face is his fortune?"
Certainly replied Trevor; ''yor
don't want beggar to look happy, do
you?"
GLOW much does model get for
sitting:" asked Hughie, as he found
himself a comfortable seat on diyan.
"a shilling an hours
''And how much DO you get for your
picture, Alan?"
go, for this get thousand"
"Pouuds?"
''GuiDeas. Painters, poets, and phy-
scians always get gqineas,A
well, think the model should have